The present invention generally relates to a food product, relates specifically to a pasta product, more specifically to a microwaveable pasta product, and particularly to a pasta pie.
Pasta products are enjoyed by many consumers. In the past, pasta has been created by passing a pasta mix through a die so as to create an extruded shape of the pasta. Traditionally, pasta is formed as spaghetti, linguini, lasagna and various other elongated extruded shapes. Pasta is often cut so as to form shorter shapes.
Conventionally, pasta products were generally prepared in the kitchen by the cook separately preparing the pasta and the desired sauces and combining them prior to their being served. However, there is an increasing desire for convenience food products which minimizes the preparation time and effort for the preparer while still obtaining and even preferably exceeding the taste and character of made from scratch food products. Additionally, there is increasing pressure for reducing the cost of such food products, with such pressure coming from the existence of other types of food products as well as from the consumers themselves.
Although present in the marketplace, currently available prepared pasta products suffer from various deficiencies. Specifically, due to the elongated shape of many pasta products, the products such as lasagna are made in layers which are difficult and/or relatively expensive to mechanically fabricate. Similarly, many pasta products are filled or stuffed which can be manufactured by various processes while maintaining various degrees of consistencies and tolerance levels. However, a major deficiency in current prepared pasta products is their deficiencies in the ability to be microwaved in the final preparation for consumption. Specifically, because of their inability to maintain a shape, many pasta products, especially including short length pasta, are sealed in plastic bags which can be dropped in boiling water, with the pasta products being removed from the bags and placed on a serving utensil. Similarly, such pasta products are removed from the sealed plastic bags and placed on a microwaveable utensil for microwaving. For either case, such pasta products require the use of utensils beyond their own packaging, which detracts from their convenience. But more importantly, conventional pasta products suffer from various deficiencies in their ability to be cooked utilizing microwaves. Specifically, products which do not have or maintain a constant size and thickness often will tend to be overcooked at certain areas while being undercooked at other areas. Likewise, products which are formed in layers have a thickness resulting in the dramatic increase in the amount of time required for microwave cooking as well as inconsistencies in cooking in different areas or portions of the food products.
Thus, there exists a continuing need for pasta products which can easily be prepared by microwaving, can be served in the same pan in which it was microwaved, and having a flavor, appearance, and consistency which is favorable to most consumers of pasta products.